The Book of Five
by wild MAGIC user
Summary: After Evvy, five unusual and extremely different children from across Emelan come together at Dicipline cottage, where they learn to live with their greatest enemies: each other. While learning magic, controlling powers, and finding soulace in eachother.R
1. Scarlet

**Wolf Moon**

**Storm Moon**

**Carp Moon**

**Seed Moon**

**Goose Moon**

**Rose Moon**

**Mead Moon**

**Wort Moon**

**Barley Moon**

**Blood Moon**

**Snow Moon**

**Hearth Moon A special thanks to Sweet Sassy Sarah, for telling me the months. I owe this chapter's rightness to you. *Bows.* I am no TP, but I wish to be like her some day.**

"_Come to me." A sigh. "Come to me. All and one, come to me…"_

**:-X-:**

On the fifth of Rose Moon, a tiny baby was born. Her name would be Scarlet, Scarlet Jannerson, and she was born to a family with 2 older sisters, 2 older brothers, and 3 younger siblings to be born years later. Scarlet was named after her hair, which even at birth was curly and thick, and bright red, like her older sister's hair, who's name was Ruby. _**Fire **_

On the sixth of Mead Moon, a tiny baby was born. His name was Damien, Damien Decombas, and he was born into a family of one, his mother. He had no siblings to come, and his mother was soon to die. He was born after his father's surname, Cornelius Damienson, and would come to hate it. _**Water**_

On the seventh of Wort Moon, a tiny baby was born. Her name would be Justine, Justine Cleo, and she was born into a family of five older brothers. A younger sister would be born in a year's time, but she would be a stillborn, and forever young. She was named after a deceased part of her family, as were her brothers Claus, Ender, August, Justin, and Flow. _**Air**_

On the eighth of Barley Moon, a tiny baby was born. Her name was Julia, and she was born into a family of 2 younger sisters and 2 younger brothers. She was fair-haired and strong headed. She was the oldest in years, but youngest in spirit. _**Spirit**_

And, finally, on the ninth of Blood Moon, a tiny baby was born. His name was Mug, and he was born to a family of two older brothers, who were both perfect as the sun and smart as a professor. And, to them, Mug would never be able to keep up or exceed expectations. And poor Mug thought so as well. _**Earth**_

**:-X-:**

**Scarlet's POV**

**(A/N- The story begins at the border of Emelan and Car, at the Market, where people from Summersea and Winding Circle Temples come to sell their wares, about five years after Evvy came to Winding Circle. She and all the other occupants of Winding Circle, besides Lark and Rosethorn, are gone on their own adventures.)**

"Scarlet, take me to Genning's Way!" cried Deliah, one of my two 'adorable' younger sisters. Deliah was eight, Sass was six, and George, my wonderful little brother, was two. "Oh please, Scarlet! It's Market Week!" Deliah whined, tugging my hand. Sass started in too, adding an odd sounding "Plleeeaasssee!"

"All right, all right! Just leave me alone for five minutes and I'll get dressed…but you two better get George ready." They groaned.

"But he is such a mess!" Deliah complained.

"So are you. And I am the one taking you. So go get George ready!" Really, the nerve of little kids! I was never this pushy, but then again, living with my 2 older brothers, Nicko and Demie, you can't be. And my two older sisters, Claire and Ruby, raised me up to be a lady. Unfortunately, all of them moved out when I turned nine, and Deliah was four. So they didn't have anyone but me to raise them up proper. And of course, Mama and Da didn't care what they acted like at home, as long as they cleaned up well for social gatherings. Which we went to all of once a year.

"He's nearly ready!" Sass said and laughed. I sighed. Pulling on a fawn-brown skirt, a cream colored petticoat, and an orange colored blouse, I piled my crazy red hair (a gift from my father) on top of my head, tied a scarf over it, and put on my Kid walking boots.

"Come on, Scarlet! Let's _go_!" Deliah screamed.

"Yeah, I'm coming, bugger.""Hey! I'm telling Daddy when he gets home. He'll beat you 'till your skin turns blue!" Deliah said in all of her eight year old knowingness.

"If he'll beat me for calling you a bugger, think of what he will do when he listens to how you talk! It's 'until,' not 'till, and if he hears you speaking street slop he'll throw you out of this house faster than you can say 'I haven't got anywhere else to go!'" That shut her up real fast.

I picked up George, who refused to talk for anyone but me, and put him on my hip. Putting Deliah's scarf on with one hand was an art I had mastered a few months ago, and sorting out Sass's many black curls was a chore. Mother gave Nicko, Claire, Deliah, and Sass the black hair she had gotten from her father, and Father had given Demie, Ruby, and me his bright red hair. All of us had brown eyes, light like chocolate. "Alright, so who is ready to shop?" I asked.

"Oh, me!" Cried Sass. "I need more ribbons, and silks, and lots of books!" She cried, grabbing her money purse and putting it in a fold of her petticoat.

"Me, too." said Deliah, and nodded. "I need hair ties, and scarves, and note pads to write."

"We need some fish, too. And some flour for pasties tomorrow. Oh! And some milk, I nearly forgot." I added, ticking things off on my fingers. I don't like to waste money, as my sisters do.

"Does Master George need anything?" Deliah asked. George stared at her with a small smile. He was insanely shy to anyone outgoing… meaning everyone in our house but Demie and I. And George hasn't gotten to meet Demie yet.

"Yes. He needs new chew toys. And some new clothes. He wears the same thing every week!" We all laughed as we walked, talking and chatting about the weather, Mama, the guy behind the fish booth, and the size of the strawberries at Market. Sometimes my sisters' can be okay. Not always, but sometimes.

"You wanna walk down the Metal Stalls?" Deliah asked. "I've wanted some new wood holders, and Carpenter's Way is just past the Metal Street." I nodded. I loved watching people work with metal. Watching them bend it, pull it, string it through a mold…it was amazing. But, more importantly, I loved watching the fire, controlled yet reckless, lapping the sides of a forge. It amazes me much more than the metal. As we walked, we chatted about the boys Deliah's age and why she hasn't brought any home by now. My first sweetheart was when I was around her age, and she was prettier than I was then. "Oh, there is one." She said as she looked at some decorative butterflies made from copper.

"Oh whoo?" Sass sang as she mad one of the butterflies fly.

"His name is Carmen."

"Not the traveler Dan's son!" I said happily.

"Yes, him. He is so cute and he is so nice. He held the door for me today when we left Millview." Millview is the town's only school.

"Oh my, he held the door?" I said.

"Yes, it is a big step for him. He pushed Emily into the tub not but two days ago!" Emily is her little friend.

"Oh well. As long as he is nice to you he is welcome at home. You should tell him to ask you tomorrow."

"No!" We had an argument on how to show Carmen that she liked him, and we decided on mild flirting for the next week.

"You stay here, Scarlet. Sass and I are going to get you a present from Carpenter's Way." Deliah said and ran off with Sass in tow. I laughed, but gladly stayed near the warmth of the forges. I watched as an elderly man shaped silver into a tree, and as a young man wove copper wires into another butterfly. Soon, I realized Sass and Deliah were taking forever picking a present for me. Getting worried, I hoisted George up from where I had put him down on the ground. When straightening, my arm brushed a red hot copper wire the young man was working with.

"Oh dear!" he said. I thought he meant the butterfly was damaged, but he meant my arm. "Let me see, that must hurt!"

"No, I am fine. It was just a brush. Really, look, not even a burn." My arm was bare, for my blouse was short sleeved, and sure enough, no burn puckered my skin. It was clear and golden, but hot where I touched the copper.

"I wonder how you-" the man started to say when he was caught off by a sudden crack, and fire sprouted from the top of Carpenter's Way.

"SASS! DELIAH!" I screamed, and ran out of the shop. "Sass! Sass! Deliah? Where are you?" I screamed, running straight into a wall of fire. I stopped. George started crying and wailing. "Shhh." I shushed him, looking this way and that for signs of little heads bobbing up and down. Just then, Sass came running out of the inferno, black hair singed and dress a light, crying. "Sass! Oh Sass!" I said, hugging her. "Where is Deliah?"

"I don't…I don't know! We were…looking at a box for you, a jewelry box, and then from across the way…a man, he shouted and a fire, it was so hott…I just ran!" wailed the six year old, clinging tight to my arm.

"Shh, its okay. You were so brave! Sass, take George, there you go." I passed her the baby. "I am going to look for Deliah. You stay HERE. Don't move!" I turned and ran into the flames, Sass's screams falling close behind.

Already bodies lay on the ground, engulfed in flames. Trying to dance away from the burning heat, I sickened at the sight of them. Running in-between stalls that were ablaze, I caught sight of a small bundle, quivering under a blue blanket.

"Deliah!" I called, and a small, terrified, tear-stroked face looked up from the blankets. "Deliah, come on!" I screamed, taking her hand and running.

"I can't! My legs!" She screamed. I looked. Her left leg seemed broken, and her right leg was severely burned.

"Come on!" I picked her up, and ran out of the inferno just as another _crack! _sounded, and it imploded on itself. I fell, twisting my ankle, and strong arms helped me up.

"You ok?" The young man from the forge, who looked about five years older then me, so eighteen, helped me up.

"I'm fine, just perfect. But my sister isn't." Deliah was crying on my lap now, her arms lying limp and burned by her sides.

"Come back to my shop. I have some burn salve. Your little sister, Sass, and brother are there already."

"Thank you…" I sighed, and walked back to his shop. He brought a large container full of green minty smelling salve, and dabbed some on Deliah's leg and arms. He put some on her face, and on Sass's face.

"You need to go to the Temple on this road, they will fix your sister's leg and burns better than I can, but it will cost you. As for you…you should think about going to Summersea and getting taught their. I can't believe you walked into that fire and you don't even have a scratch on you. Not even your clothes…" He reached an arm for my sleeve, and I let him rub it. What he said was true, surprisingly. Not even a burn was on me or my clothes.

"I…I…" I said, but Deliah's cry and George's wail stopped our conversation abruptly. With his help, we carried Deliah to the Temple, and Sass got healings done on her burns. We then, of course, had to answer to dedicates and other Temple mage's who wanted to know what happened. By the time we got out of there, we were all so tired it was all we could do to get back home. I made sure to get them in sleep wear before letting them fall asleep, but even I couldn't stay up to wait for Mom and Dad to get back. We all slept through the long night in peace and quite, unaware of what was happening in the world around us.

**Well, that's it for the first chapter.**

**Like? Not so much? Take a poke at the little violet button and REVIEW!! **

**Please.**

**:]**


	2. Damien

**Second Chapter! **

**Review!! Please, it makes me feel so happy!**

**And…it makes me write faster.**

**Pleassseeee reeevvviiieeewwww!!!**

**Yet another thanks to my wonderful Beta, Sweet Sassy Sarah! This chapter is dedicated (again) to you!**

**Damien's POV**

**(A/N- ****Damien Decomas's mother died when he was three, and a few days later he was on the street. He lives in the East District of Summersea, in Emelan, and goes by Streetfox or just Fox on the streets he calls home.)**

"Yo, Fox!" A whispered voice sounded at the end of the tunnel. "Mhm?" I called.

"It's Swift. Can I come in?"

"Sure." 'In' was a small notch in the side of a hill, dug into the middle, which had two exits. A front and a back, for extra protection. Swift came into the one room hole, and sat down in the middle of the space. Along one wall was a pallet, which I was laying on, and at another end was a small hole for ventilation, where a fire was sitting, stoked and roaring. I hate fires, but it was cold! Always cold, during Snow Moon. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. I hate the cold, too. Though it keeps the Bags away. You know the type. A lot of money, rich dressed, shoving it in our poor, dirty faces. Disgusting.

"Fox, I am frozen out there an' Alleypup really needs some shoes! He stole more rags for his feet but its snowin' out there and there already be about three feet a' snow on the ground. Can' ya help? Ya got friends in high places…"

"Shush. I ain't no friend of any Bag, you knows it. Get Alleypup and the rest of tha Weaver's in here. Now." Our gang is called Weaver's for our ability to weave in and out of crowds to escape from tight situations, and the way we weave our bodies into small places to hide. Swift left hurriedly, sending Alleypup first. I should have realized he'd be waiting outside.

"Sit down by the fire, Pup. Ya Must have been afrozen outside."

"Yeah, I wazzabitcold," He said through chattering teeth. He sat by the fire.

"Throw your rags in the fire. Ya don't need 'em. We'll share these." I handed him a fine pair of snow boots, barely worn and fleece stuffed.

"Aw, thanks Fox!" Pup said as he shoved them on his feet. I noticed two toes on his left foot were a gross blue, and one on his right was already black. Just at that moment, Swift came back with the rest of everyone. Our gang was made up of five people besides me, the Leader. Swift, AlleyPup, and Sorrow are my guys, Alleypup being the youngest at nine. The girls were Trip and Cut, and they would more than happily do both to you. They weren't the sweetest of girls, but they wouldn't have made it this far if they were.

"Damien, it's a boatload o' cold out there! You 'spect us to 'nything out there when we froze nearl everythin' off?" Cut asked.

"Yeah, while Mothe' Natah' runs her course, let's stay here. We can get enough food fer a while. Nothin'll happen!" Said Trip, and Sorrow nodded.

"Th' weather ain't nice out there?" I asked them, though I knew the answer. "Looks fine to me! Why, it looks liked it did last year, an' the year before that, too! Why, I even remember the year 'for that and the winter looked just the same! Let's go, Weavers. If you wants to keep your names, we go." They all followed me outside, which was miserable. Since I had given Pup my good shoes, I had on thin slippers I stole from a merchant not to long ago. He wouldn't miss them. As we walked along the banks of snow, I kept Pup close to me and showed him how to avoid piles of snow that looked like they wouldn't hold and might send him into a snow bank if he put his weight on it. He smiled and trotted ahead, never missing a step.

We went in to a shop selling hot buns, and managed to nick two of them without the Seller noticing. We split them three way each and ate them. We stalked the other gang's territory, the Sakes. They too could weave in and out of crowds, but they were bad at catching us, and had no legs to run on. Basically, they were the slowest gang I had seen … ever. Not seeing a sign of them, we walked back around our territory, making sure all of the street kid's in our watch were somewhere kind of warm. One tiny thing, probably as old I was when I started on the streets, so around three, was blue all over and couldn't breath. My gang turned away as I put him out of his misery.

"There's the best way to go." I said. They nodded, but we left quickly. "I wonder what his name was." Pup said.

"Nothin' now." Trip retorted.

"Shut up," Pup said. "Just 'cuz you don't feel nothing for little kids dyin'-" he started but I cut him off.

"Trip cares as much as she should. You mightn't care little enough." He looked solemn.

"Sorr' Fox. I just hate seein' little thin's being dead. It's a waste."

"I know." I hugged his shoulders, and Trip hugged him fully, making him smile.

"So what you common slums doin' out so late? Huh, Weazlebeez?" It was Tramp, the leader of the Snakes.

"Just doin' a little Snake Killin'. Nothin' big." I retorted to laughs and 'woops' from my gang.

"You think your cool, donchya Fox? You and your prisses ain't leaving tonight, that's fer sure!" Just then, the entire Snakes team came rushing at us. They had seven, not including Tramp, but I was sure my five could handle them. I went after Tramp. I threw snow in his eyes, blinding him for the quick second I needed to jab my elbow into his stomach. He dry-retched, and came at my side with a punch. Blocking it, I swung to hit him in the nose, but was caught off guard by a kid in Snakes. He punched my back, and I doubled over, winded. Kicking up as I fell, I kicked Tramp right under his throat, sending his head snapping back onto his neck, instantly breaking it.

"Oops," I said to him as I got up, still wheezing from the punch. Seeing Tramp down, the Snakes ran, all getting away but Tramp.

"Fox! You okay?" My gang ran up to me.

"Fine, just peachy. Who let the kid punch me?"

"Don' know. Looked like he missed Trip and you got the full butt of his force." Swift said.

"Eh. Trip, don't let 'em miss just to hit someone else next time, kay?"

"Yeah," she said sullenly.

"Come on, lets head back to Mound." The nickname of my house and our gangs' domain, the Mound, and my pallet sounded wonderful right that second.

Once we arrived safely inside, I allowed Cut to look at the bruise on my back. She whistled in pity.

"That's a scorcher, fer sure!" she said. "Ain't nothing to do until it fades. Could be a while though."

"Fine." I retorted. "It'll be a while before the Snakes pick a new leader anyway, so it should be coupla soft weeks. Store up on food. Get a lotta rest. Try not to freeze. Someone spy on the Snakes and report back to me day to day like, ya hear?" They all nodded. "Good. Now, it's been a long day. All those with a warm somewhere, get goin'. Those without, ya can stay here, but I'll be asleeping and ya better not make much noise. I'll skin ya if ya do, no joke." They nodded. Trip left to meet up with her sweetheart, Jaque, who was staying for a month to visit. He was a traveler, a merchant scum, but he was kind to her and gave us food, so I let him share a space with us. Cut helped Pup lay down some extra blankets next to my fire as Swift and Sorrow left. I fell asleep to the cracks of the fire and the even breathing of Pup and Cut as they both fell asleep, too.

**:-X-:**

The next day, Pup, Cut, and me walked about near the edge of East District, which was a Truth section. It was neither Weaver nor Snake territory, as was the Market area and the Sewer Area. Sometimes Temple dedicates came by here, bringing the Mire medicines. In the earlier years, with Flick by his side, they had awaited the arrival of Briar Moss when he would come with his teacher, Rosethorn, to drop of medicines at the Mire. But, since Flick's terrible death, Briar never came anymore. He was the only Bag I ever liked, 'cuz he really wasn't a Bag, just a Rat dressed in a Bag's clothes. I hope that hasn't changed in the years we haven't seen each other. Just as we expected, a wagon rode up bearing the signs of Winding Circle. Out popped Rosethorn, who waved at us, kind of, and then got back to work peeling back the canvas and grabbing bottles and jars and jugs. Looking at each other, Cut and Pup started backing away from the almost-Bag. I followed them, not wanting to have to explain to them that Rosethorn is meaner than she is Bag-ier.

"You know, I am awfully thirsty." Pup said. "Let's go to the pub and see if we can steal something warm."

"Yes, please!" Cut said, not really asking my permission. They walked ahead and I trailed them. When we got to a pub, they went in the front entrance, dancing and singing and looking merry.

I crept around the back, ready to nick three hot drinks when a girl of undetermined age, somewhere near mine, grabbed my arm. "You and your thief friends aren't stealing form my Pa's pub! No way!" She said as she held on with all her might. I pulled and pushed my arm forward and back, trying to break her hold, but she was strong. She had blonde curls and dark brown eyes.

"Leave, or I will swear to magic you to a bear!" She said and slammed the door, but not before dumping a bucket full of dirty water over my head. I held my arms up, as if to stop the cold downpour that would surely be my death, but then nothing came. I looked up, and her astonished face was looking at me between a crack in the door. I looked to my sides. The water had flown down them like waterfalls, not leaving a droplet on me, and had tumbled to the snow, where it had immediately frozen to ice in the extreme weather.

She pushed open the door and exclaimed,"You…you…pushed the water away. It barely touched you! How did you do it? Where'd you learn? They never taught me that at South Wind School for the Slightly Magical, and I studied there for five years!"

"Eh…I don' know what you are talkin' bout. I ain't magical." I said.

"You have to be! Come on, I need you to meet Rosethorn," She vanished for a second, and came back with mittens and a scarf and some boots.

"I know Rosethorn," I said dismally.

"Yeah? How?"

"A friend of a friend." I said. "But it don't matter! I ain't magical and that's the end of it!"

"Yeah, well to you maybe, but not to me!" She was playing with a bunch of knots, and then a sorry looking branch came and dragged me off my feet. Sitting on it hard, it zoomed off in the direction of the Mire.

"You'll meet her and she'll take care of you!" said the girl down below. I gulped and hung on. How could she make a branch swing me off my feet?

"Oh woops!" She cried as it suddenly stopped and dropped. "I'm not that great at holding powerful spells…" She said as she helped me up. "But there is Rosethorn! Oh Rosethorn, this boy has magic in him!" she said as she towed me over to the woman I knew form a distant.

"Bunny, not now!" Rosethorn snapped.

"But he belongs with you!" She whispered something in Rosethorn's ear, and Rosethorn looked me up and down.

"Yeah, all right. I'll take him back with me. Thanks, Bunny." The girl walked off, looking pleased with herself. "As for you." She turned to look at me. "If you even think about running off I will cut off your ears and hang you by your thumbs at the well at home. Don't touch anything in the wagon, don't smell anything in the wagon, and especially don't taste anything in the wagon. Now, get in the wagon, and wait for me to come and get you. NOW."

I hastily scrambled up onto the small wagon, not giving fleeing a second thought. "I ain't goin' to no-" I started.

"DID I SAY YOU CAN TALK? Now, shut your gutter mouth or learn to speak properly. Actually, just don't speak. It'd be better for all of us." She rubbed her temples like she had a headache. "I'll call in Niko to have a look at you tomorrow I guess…I have to finish here first…" She continued talking to herself as she unloaded the rest of the herbs from the wagon and put them inside. Then she closed up the canvas roof, told me to be good, and left. And, for once in my life, I was good.

**End of Chapter Two. I know it's short and not that great but I am tired (I know it isn't a good excuse) and my beta is waiting. Oh how I loveeee Sweet Sassy Sarah (no homo.) She saves my life. **

**REVIEW NOWWW!**

**:]**


	3. Justine

**Chapter three!**

**If you couldn't guess, this is Justine! Yay! **

**REVIEW, PLEASE.**

**Oh by the way, I am no TP, no matter that I want to be like her when I get old enough!**

**You might notice that one of her brothers, the youngest, I said his name was Flow in the beginning but it is actually Fred, and Justin, her most annoying brother and second youngest, is actually Jerry. Some changes helped made by my beta, Sweet Sassy Sarah! Sorry! I will change that, but right now I am on a tight schedule and have to finish making this chapter perfect!**

"JUSTINE!" Screamed a male voice, one floor above where I sat, a dreamy eyed girl, watching a mouse devour a piece of cheese. "Justine? Where are you? I need your help!" The voice called again. Sighing, I swung my blond hair behind me and pushed myself off of the floor, and started climbing the stairs out of the basement.

"Yes, Claus?" I called out to my older brother, who was soon going to be celebrating his 23rd birthday, and had been living at home now for about a week with his wife, Sadie.

"I told you an hour ago to do the laundry! I have no proper clothes to go out with tonight, and neither do you!" He screamed from down the hall.

"There isn't a reason to scream, Claus, I am right here!" I stomped into his room, leaned on his door frame, and huffed. "Besides, you are quite capable of doing your own laundry. And I do have something to wear when we go out tonight, actually. And I have something for tomorrow, when we have our Market Sale." The Market Sale was when all of the merchants put a lower price on all of their wares, for one day only, and people tended to buy more. It was a good and a bad thing.

"Oh! I nearly forgot about that! I'll need all of my clothes washed, then, Justine, and one of Pa's old hats from down in the basement, if you please." He was tidying up his room, which was tidy enough.

"I don't 'please.' I'm not doing your laundry when you have two very capable hands of your own. I feel bad for Sadie when you two live alone at your house. I bet she does all the chores!"

"Please, Justine." He sounded annoyed. "I can't deal with you right now. Just go and do what I ask!" "You aren't Pa, and you never will be!" I screamed at him. "Whenever he isn't around you always boss Fredrick and I around like we are babies! We aren't! Fred's fifteen and I'm thirteen and I don't need you to be calling and whining and making me do stuff like your personal maid! I am not!" I told him, my voice rising in anger. I flicked back a short strand of pure blonde hair, my tiny eyebrows knotting together.

"Justine, I am not trying to be Pa, I am just trying to take care of the house and you. And don't talk about Fred like he isn't here, he's right behind you!" I turned, but didn't see Fred in the hallway. Just then, Claus grabbed my middle and pulled me down to the floor. He wrestled me, and finally I managed to punch him in the stomach hard enough for him to let go.

"See? I am not a baby."

"No, but you are gullible! And that hurt!" Claus responded, rubbing his stomach. "Alright, I'll do my laundry, but you go make sure everyone's rooms are tidy."

"Yeah, what ever." I said as I walked. Even though I am the smallest in my family (my brothers are all over six feet, even Flow, and I am stuck at 5'3'') I can beat any of them at wrestling. It's how we decide arguments and split up chores. The stronger one always wins…and I haven't been beaten in a while.

"Ender? August?" Two of my older brothers were twins, and shared a room on the same floor as Claus. "You in your room?"

"Yeah, we're in here!" They said together.

"Claus said to have your room ready and made, and get some good clothes. We are going out with Pa tonight, remember?"

"Yeah, we remember." Ender said.

"Thanks, Justine." August added. Both were just turning eighteen in a month, which left Jerry. He is sixteen and a half, and probably the most annoying of all of my brothers, including Claus.

I had to walk up a flight of steps to get to the floor he shared with Mother and Pa.

"Ugh. Jerry? You in your room?" I was met with silence. "Jerry, you better answer me or I'll make you do your own laundry again!" A loud snore emitted from behind his closed door. "I thought so!" I barged into his room, banging the door with a loud Bang!

"Wow! What the…? Mithros, you scared me half to death," he said sarcastically, faking falling over. He was sitting on his bed, dressed in good breeches and a fancy tunic, smiling as he brushed through his tousled blonde hair.

"I was hoping you'd die. Darn. Get your room tidy. This place is a bomb shell. Claus is going to throw a fit."

"Why don't you clean it, oh Miss Priss, and I'll take care of Claus?"

"No, I don't think I will, and if you call me that one more time I will be sure to snap your head off of your thin shoulders." Everyone in my family was muscular…except Jerry. He took after my mother, skinny and lanky, but my had my father's height...like everyone else. I was short, skinny, and boyish except for my long blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"Oh, I'll be sure to remember that next time, Gutsy Justine. Midget." I left his room, not caring to comment. Heading up the last flight of stairs, my room was small, with no door. It used to be the attic, but when I was born Mother wanted me to have some privacy so she gave me my own floor.

"Ah, home sweet home!" I plopped on my small bed before shedding the boy's breech's I had on and putting on a long, beautiful blue dress that matched my eyes. I always felt uncomfortable in only a skirt, but if I went out to something fancy in anything but a dress, my Pa made me turn around and go home to change. And then I was embarrassed and I had to wear a dress anyway.

"Is everyone ready?" Mother called from the first floor.

A chorus of "Yeah" and "In a moment!" floated down to her, and I laughed. Grabbing my hair, I yanked a brush through its dense, heavy layers before running down the stairs.

"JUSTINE! JUSTINE? JUSTI-" Mother was screaming as I ran to her side.

"Yeah, Mother?"

"You are going to stop my heart one of these days! Help me get the boys outside… go up and grab August and Ender or they will never come down. I shall have to take off that door of theirs if they can't hurry up…maybe some public views will help them move faster…"

"Yes, Mother," I said politely as I ran upstairs. Huffing and puffing, I knocked on Ender and August's door. "Hello? My gosh, hurry up! Mother's waiting!"

"We are coming!" They said.

"Hurry faster!" I waited in the hall next to their door until they came out, wearing proper clothes and good boots.

"Are you sure you are really thirteen? You look like a midget of ten, to me!" Ender joked. I punched his arm.

"And you look like a fool of a giant trying to pass off as a human. Come on!" I ran back down the stairs just as Mother was about to scream for us.

"Next time, you both take less time. Understand?" Mother scolded the boys.

"Yes, Mum, of course," they said together and grabbed some bread from the bread box.

"Stupid boys," I muttered.

"Like you're much better, fighting about putting on a skirt! You're a girl! Girls love skirts, especially that cute little gixie in the Market yesterday. What a sight!" August said and Ender nodded.

"I'll show you what I love…" I promised them and punched them both. "Once I am in something comfortable."

"Your brothers have a point, Justine. You're a girl, and I don't like it that you wear boy's clothes around the house and even out sometimes. Goodness knows what the people on the streets think!"

"I don't care what the people on the streets think! I barely care what you think, Mother. Let me tell you that!" I heard her sigh as I spun around and out of the door. Pa was already at the small restaurant where we were eating with someone he was trying to sell a big load of cedar wood to. Cedar is very expensive, but it looks wonderful anywhere and holds up for quite a long time. Claus and Pa talked to the man about it, telling him how wonderful it is, while I stared off into space.

"This is a fine young girl you have here, Master Cleo." The sentence bobbed into my head and I looked up from my plate, letting my hair cascade over my shoulders.

"Yes, I take great pride in her. My youngest, you know."

"Yes, yes…I've heard she was. I'm amazed she can hold her own in a house so packed with men. At least you have your Mother, right dear?"

"Right, Master…"

"Master Pier. I sell and collect special woods to turn into chests and drawers and things, and it keeps me happy, but I can't say I can claim to have a daughter as beautiful as you. I can't claim to a daughter at all, but my wife is due to give birth in a couple of moths."

"Congratulations!" everyone said as he nodded and smiled.

"Yes, yes, we are hoping for a boy, but should it be a girl I will take tips from your father on how to raise her," he said. With that, he signed a document that proclaimed he would buy all the wood, took his hat, and left with a flourish.

"He's quite strange," I commented.

"He's polite, and you don't be rude," Mother said.

"Yes, Mother."

**:-X-:**

Sitting on my bed, massaging my sore feet, I blew my short bangs out of my eyes.

"Gutsy Justine!" Jerry called softly from the stairs leading to my room.

"Annoying Justin. Why are you here? It's past bedtime!" I called just as softly.

"You promised me a fight, and as the one who got pulled into this, I pick the time and place. Now. Up here."

"We can't fight up here! They'll hear! And you weren't pulled into anything! You wanted to!"

"Whatever. Let's go outside!" "Let's fight tomorrow, please! I am tired!" I begged.

"I know. That's why I want to fight now."

"Why? So you have a chance of winning? You still don't and it just is making me grumpy talking to you like this."

"Just come down. One little scuffle and that's it, I swear!"

"Fine." I climbed off of my bed, and went down the stairs as quietly as possible. Halfway down, there Jerry sat, and we climbed the rest of the way down to his floor. Tip-toeing past Mother and Pa's room, we ran out of the rest of the house, until we were on the street.

"Hah!" Jerry laughed as he swung a punch at my head. Ducking, I kicked him in the ribs, hard enough to make him fall. Trying to get on top of him, to hold him down and proclaim myself as the winner, he hopped up throwing me off balance and punched me in the side. Taking the pain, I side stepped and twisted, then dug my heel into his ankle.

"Ow!" he screamed, trying to get his hands on my hair. Taking both of his huge hands in my small ones, I bit one of his pinkies. He screeched and jumped about for a while, until he pulled away from me. "Bitch. I know Mum was letting you get away with too much, but you aren't even fighting fair! I said hands and feet only!"

"Really? When? I never heard you say that!" I said and lunged at him, using my hands as shield and my feet to strike his knees, a much easier target then his stomach. He went down loudly, and then a bunch of hands grabbed me at once.

"Jeesh. Some poor lad must 'ave been 'aving some fun, and this gixie knew 'ow to fight!" one of the men holding me said, and I smelled the putrid sent of alcohol on him.

"LET. ME. GO!" I screamed. I hadn't realized, but while Jerry and I had been fighting, we had moved down the street, away from our house. They wouldn't be able to hear my yelling from here. I tried to jab my elbow at one of the men holding me, but he just held my arm tighter and bent it back.

"OW! I ORDER YOU TO LET ME GO!" I screamed as I fought tooth and nail against the arms.

"Oh hun, why would we do that?" whispered a voice, which smelled of alcohol and smoke. His hands reached a _very _off limits section of my upper body, and I screamed and kicked, which only made him laugh and laugh harder. "Oh, shut your trap! Ain't no one gonna save your sorry little butt now!"

As he said that, the wind picked up, blowing hard against the arms constricting me. "What the…?" a voice said, and he was blown down the alley. The other men were also blown toward houses, and some smacked into them so hard they began to bleed. Looking around, I saw Jerry laying on the floor, one eye black and blue, but fine.

"They left me and came after you!" he breathed. "What…where did they go?"

"I don't know.." I choked, tears streaming down my face. A wind came and took them away, leaving peace and happiness in it's wake. "I think I blew them away…"

"Magic? With magic, you mean?" Justin asked, sitting up.

"Yeah, I think. And wind."

"Huh. We should take you to get tested… for magic, I mean. There's a Temple down the way, you know the one. I'm sure you can get tested there."

"Can we do it in the morning? I'm beat."

"You are the color of a beet, too." Justin said with a smile.

"Oh shut up, Your not much better. What are we going to say to Mother and Pa?" And then it hit me. "OH MY GOSH! What are we going to say to them??"

"Shush, not so loud. Do want more of those loonies coming after us? Just tell them you fell out of bed and hit yourself on the closet, and I'll say…I wanted some water, and I tripped going down the stairs, and hit my eye on the railing," he said.

"Fine, but I doubt they will believe that. I don't fall out of bed," I said.

"Sure you do. We hear you fall all the time, right?" he asked, winking with his good eye.

"What ever. Let's go."

**:-X-:**

**After Telling Their Lies…**

We headed out to the Temple, saying we each wanted to catch up with some friends at the park…which was coincidently right next to the Temple. Very cool, I know.

"Hello? Dedicate…Sun Flower, is it?" Jerry asked, reading a slip of paper next to the man at the front desk.

"Yes? That's me," Sun Flower said.

"Hello, good day. My sister would like to be tested for magic. When can this take place?"

"Give me a moment, and I can do that right away. Come here, child. What's your name?"

"Justine," I said, trying to make it loud, but my voice shook and squeaked. Dedicate Sun Flower was making me nervous.

"Don't be shy. Step into the side room over there, close the door, and I'll be in in a second." I saw the door he was pointing at, which led to a room about the size of a closet with two chairs in it.

I walked in and shut the door, and noticed a circle of oils along the ground. Around the door, the oils had been swept away. Stepping over all the oil, I sat in one of the two chairs in the room.

"Good, good," said Dedicate Sun Flower a few minutes later when he came in. "I'm sure you want to know about the oil. It's a combination of Protective, Healing, Cleansing, Containing, and Binding flowers and spells, made by the famous Dedicate Rosethorn of Winding Circle, for me. Well, for the Temple, but she has a special brew made for me to test new Mages, in case some of the magic slips or someone lets a spell lose by accident. Now, I want you to clear your mind and think of the most peaceful thing you can."

Startled, I closed my eyes, but my thoughts jumped crazily between the oil and what happened last night, which was not in any way calming. Deciding to think instead of the air that had caressed my face last night and stroked my eyes, I smiled and sank into the chair.

"Mhm…good. Keep it up…" Thinking about how it swirled and wooshed, I wished it would come to me now. Just then, a breeze swept into the room.

"Oh…Oh dear!" Dedicate Sun Flower said, as the papers he carried twirled out of his hands and across the floor. Bending to pick them up, a smaller gust blew them to my hands. "My dear," he said, "you don't have academic magic, but you….you might be…you…I'll take you to Rosethorn. She'll know what to do with you…and your…wind." He was upset, and sweating slightly, muttering and stuttering. He went out of the room, beckoning me to follow. I handed him the papers, which he put down like they were burning bricks in the trash.

"But I don't…" I started.

"No, no don't talk…stay there. Please, don't come any closer. I'll just…tomorrow…I'll have someone take you up there…tomorrow," he said through gasping breaths and nodded, then turned to someone else in the room.

"So, it went well, then?" Jerry asked cheerily as he walked up to me.

**Chapter three!! YIPPEE!**

**Another thanks to my wonderful Beta Sweet Sassy Sarah. I would suggest her to any and all of people reading, but I don't want her to be taken. :P.**

**REVIEW! NOW!! R-E-V-I-E-W!!**


End file.
